Pakistan said on Thursday it provided second consular access to India for its national Kulbhushan Jadhav, who has been condemned to death for spying, in line with a 2019 International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling.
Kulbushan Jadhav is an Indian spy who was caught by Pakistan forces on inciting terrorism in Pakistan’s restive region of Balochistan. India has denied all allegations, and maintains that Jadhav was an Indian businessman who was captured by Pakistan.
Pakistan grants second consular access to Jadhav
“Pakistan provided second consular access to commander Kulbhushan Jadhav at the Indian request today. First consular access under the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations (VCCR) 1963 was earlier provided by Pakistan on September 2, 2019,” said a Foreign Office statement.
https://twitter.com/WajidShahPAK/status/1284442376178671616
Two consular officers of the Indian High Commission in Islamabad “were provided unimpeded and uninterrupted consular access” to Jadhav, it added.
Read more: Kulbushan Jadhav refused conviction review, says Pakistan
“Pakistan remains committed to fully implementing the International Court of Justice (ICJ)’s judgment of 17 July 2019. It is hoped that India will cooperate with the Pakistan court in giving full effect to the said judgement.”
The ICJ in July 2019 ruled that Jadhav be treated under the Vienna Convention, asking Pakistan to provide him consular access and continue to stay his execution.
Jadhav refused consular access and review granted by Pakistan
Earlier, Pakistan said it had offered India a second consular access to alleged Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav, who is on death row, in line with a 2019 International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling. However, the country said that Jadhav had refused the conviction review which he had been offered.
“Pakistan is committed to implementing the ICJ judgment in letter and spirit. We have already arranged a meeting between Kulbhushan Jadhav and his wife and mother. Pakistan has also offered [Indian High Commission in Islamabad] a second consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav,” Additional Attorney General Ahmed Irfan told a press conference in the capital Islamabad. He was accompanied by an official of the Foreign Ministry.
Pakistan okays ‘no-guards’ consular access to Jadhav https://t.co/Mr4L5lSQ2y
Why dont we just kiss him on the cheek, give a doggy pack of our delicacies, escort him to the border and let him go? Why the drama?
— Syeda Yasmeen Ali (@yasmeen_9) July 18, 2020
Irfan said Pakistan‘s Constitution allows Jadhav to appeal the military court’s judgment but, he added, the alleged Indian spy refused.
Read more: Jadhav Supports Pakistan’s Stance: Consular Access doesn’t change his Conviction
The ICJ in July 2019 ruled that Jadhav be treated under the Vienna Convention, asking Pakistan to provide him consular access and continue to stay his execution.
“In line with the ICJ ruling, Pakistan amended the law, and invited Kulbhushan Jadhav on June 17 to file a review petition in [the] Islamabad High Court for the review and reconsideration of his sentence and conviction. He instead preferred to follow up on his pending mercy petition,” he said.
India confirms meeting but downplays its credibility
India’s Ministry of External Affairs confirmed the meeting but said it was “neither meaningful nor credible.”
In a statement, it said that the “arrangements did not permit a free conversation,” and that Pakistan’s approach to this matter “continues to be obstructive and insincere.”
Read more: Indian Diplomat Gaurav Ahluwalia meets RAW Spy Kulbhushan Jadhav
The officers were not given “unimpeded, unhindered and unconditional access” to Jadhav, the MEA said, adding that they could not engage him “on his legal rights and were prevented from obtaining his written consent for arranging his legal representation.”
Last week, Pakistan invited India to move a review and reconsideration petition before the Islamabad High Court against the conviction. The invitation, it said, was extended after Jadhav twice declined to take advantage of the law.
Who is Kulbushan Jadhav?
Jadhav — who Pakistan says was a serving officer in the Indian Navy — was arrested in 2016 in the town of Mashkel in Balochistan province, a few miles from the border with Iran.
He was convicted of espionage, sabotage and terrorism activities in Pakistan, and sentenced to death in 2017.
Read more: Pakistan grants Kulbhushan Consular Access while on death row for espionage
New Delhi, however, denies the charges, declaring Jadhav a retired naval officer who was kidnapped in Iran, where he was doing business.
It had asked the UN court to intervene, saying his trial had been unfair and Pakistan had denied him diplomatic assistance. The execution was stayed in May 2017 pending a final decision in the proceedings.
Anadolu with additional input by GVS News Desk